At the end of a long week, this mother of four got a pleasant surprise from a stranger at Target.
In a story recently posted on Love What Matters via Facebook, Erin Bennett shared the kindness of a stranger who turned her day around. In the post, she let readers know that she had put her own personal items back when the total at the store got too high, but the stranger stepped in and paid for them.
Her submission to the Facebook group known for its heartwarming posts is an open letter to the kind man who was in line right behind her that day and paid for her items. It begins:
“To the man in line behind me at the Gainesville Target, who saw that after hitting my grocery budget limit I decided to put back my Pumpkin Spice candle and the makeup I had picked out…”
Erin then explained that she always leaves her items at the end so she can put them back if she goes over the budget, something many parents can relate to.
She went on to explain that she is the mother to four kids, not just the fussy two that were with her.
Erin then explained just how important that pumpkin spice candle was for her, giving the reader an idea of her emotional state when writing the open letter:
“You didn’t know that I have postpartum depression from the youngest babe and that I use scent as a way to boost my mood.”
The candle’s mood-boosting properties were especially necessary this day for Erin.
“You didn’t know that this week has been full of sick kids, parent teacher conferences, emergency dental visits and I was so looking forward to lighting that candle at nap time and just taking a minute to relax.”
Erin said how much she appreciated that the stranger saw her as a human.
“Even without knowing that, you saw me. You saw me as a human, not just the mom in front of you that was distracted and going way too slow. You heard me say that I’d like to put those items back and you said you were getting them. You didn’t take no for an answer. You told me I deserved it when I started to tear up.”
Despite never having met Erin before, this stranger not only offered to pay for her personal items but insisted on it, ensuring this mom knew that someone had her back and got the relaxation she deserved.
Erin ended her submission with heartfelt thanks and a promise to pay the good deed forward in the future.
“You Sir, are the good in the world. You made my day, probably my week, and I WILL pay it forward. Thank you so much for your kind heart and words.”
If Erin Bennett’s story wasn’t inspiring enough, the comment section for the post is filled with even more heartwarming stories of similar situations.
This post from Breanna Smallwood-Eckley, for example, shares how a stranger bought her baby a crib, mattress, and bedding when he overheard she wanted to put the crib on hold because she couldn’t afford it right away.
In addition to people thanking others for their kindness in the past, there are comments sharing good deeds that the poster has done for others. Barbara Garcia commented about a time she anonymously paid the grocery bill for a woman with three small children and gave them money for lunch.
Stories like these just go to show how much good there is in the world, along with the importance of helping others whenever you can.
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